Just another AreaVoices Sites site

Main menu

Post navigation

Boy and trains

If you’ve got a young boy – heck, if you know anyone of any gender age with even a remote interest in trains – I’d scurry them over to Currie to check out the End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum. I took Zach there for the first time yesterday, and to say he enjoyed it would be a definitive understatement.

Our time together was prompted by a "girls’ date" that Bec had Grace that same afternoon. Mother and daughter went to the Ground Round for lunch, then caught "Ramona and Beezus" at the mall. After that, there was a quick shopping trip to Main Street Kids and a pretty new dress for our little girl to wear on her first day of kindergarten in just a few short weeks.

Daddy and son, meanwhile, had a good guys’ time. At his request, we drove over to McDonald’s (or, as the Z-man likes to call it, Donnie’s) for lunch. Both of us had chicken nuggets and fries … and both of us, for better or worse, ate everything we ordered. From there, we traveled north on U.S. 59 to Avoca, where we got on a country road and drove about 10-to-15 minutes to tiny Currie. It’s about 35-to-40 minutes from Worthington, and Zach slept, oh, the last 5 minutes or so before we pulled into the End-O-Line parking lot.

Right away, Zach pointed out the window and yelled, "Daddy, trains!" which was the precise reaction I was looking for. Then, he pointed out the window and yelled, "Herbie car!!! Herbie car!!!" Sure enough, there was a green Beetle in the parking lot; the boy loves those VWs.

We got to venture inside two cabooses at End-O-Line, and Zachary loved running up and down the cars and getting up and down from the "couches" and chairs. He stood outside on one of the cabooses and steered the while; meanwhile, I snapped a handful of photos. There was also a play area where Zach – along with three other slightly older girls – were running up and down and crawling around in a small wooden train. And last, there was a small playground area where Zach went down a slide a couple of times. There are a few pioneer-types buildings at End-O-Line – such as an old general store, schoolhouse and others – but they apparently are only open for special events. Still, despite that, it was a great little trip for a Thomas the Train-loving 3-year-old and his dad; the 45 minutes or so we there was the perfect length – and there was also the perfect end, a small ice cream cone.

"Dad, I like this place," Zachary said as we were getting ready to go. Me too, bud.